Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 2

In 2020, Dr. Wölber and colleagues published a randomized control pilot study that showed that an optimal oral health diet reduced the abundance of bacteria that cause both caries and periodontal disease in supragingival oral plaque. 5 As well, a systemic review and meta-analysis that Dr. Wölber worked on found that using omega-3 fatty acids to treat periodontitis decreased probing depth and clinical attachment loss, among other benefits. 6 In a 2021 article, Dr. Wölber and colleagues tested the Mediterranean diet among people with gingivitis for six weeks. 7 Plaque values were constant for the control group and the experimental group, but the experimental group saw decreases in periodontal and anthropometric parameters. “Taken together, there is robust evidence that an anti- inflammation diet is an effective treatment for periodontal disease,” says Dr. Wölber. Many of the trials in nutrition and oral health have small sample sizes because there isn’t a lot of funding for it. “Of course, I would like to see more research, but we have enough data that we should start using nutrition as a clinical tool now.” Advice and Recommendations Drs. Wölber and Tennert wrote a chapter for the 2019 book The Impact of Nutrition and Diet on Oral Health about nutritional best practices based on the latest science. Their recommendations are focused on periodontal health but also impact general health and point toward an alternative to the industrialized western diet characterized by sugar, white flour and processed fatty acids like trans fats. Instead, they recommend a plant-based diet rich in low-glycemic, complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids, micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, plant nitrates and fibre. “It’s a good idea to get our carbohydrates, one of our major energy resources, from fruits, vegetables and legumes,” says Dr. Wölber. He starts his day with oatmeal with fruit and nuts. Low-glycemic and high fibre diets are correlated with lower rates of caries and periodontal disease. There is robust evidence that an anti-inflammation diet is an effective treatment for periodontal disease. We have enough data that we should start using nutrition as a clinical tool now. 36 | 2022 | Issue 2 Issues and People